Bells in the Cherry Blossom Tree
by The.Dragon.Singer
Summary: I am not pleased with you. I'm rather upset. In fact, I'm flipping pissed. Zaraki Kenpachi, you're in trouble...
1. Damn

"Akuma no batsu." The woman muttered, perched on a rock. "It's really not that hard of a name to remember."

She sighed, standing and crossing the field she stood in.

"I wish he would keep the place a bit cleaner." She kicked a bloody corpse. "Fucking Taicho."

Her eyes drifted around the lush green field to the forest beyond. The ground of the field was strewn with half rotten and bloody corpses, but the forest was a sanctuary, although it was always raining. The woman moved through the corpses and entered the forest.

She picked up her pace until she was running, and burst from the other side of the forest, drenched to the skin. Her eyes roved the landscape again.

Corpse strewn battlefield and pouring forest to small barracks in a beautiful meadow.

The meadow had blood red flowers however, and piles of bones.

The woman sighed again, moving into the barracks.

The building was empty, and parts of the walls were crumbling. Each room was the same size, but differently decorated.

The third room had dragons painted on the walls, and the fifth room had a large vanity mirror surrounded by combs, brushes and candles, which made it seem like a shrine to whoever's room this was.

The second room was entirely pink and had stashes of candy under the bed.

The last room was her own, sort of.

It was simple; white walls, futon, wardrobe. The woman lowered herself to the futon and shut her eyes.

She didn't sleep however. She just rested.

The ground rumbled and the woman leapt out of the window.

A corpse burst from the ground, and the woman rolled her eyes.

She quickly beat it to a pulp and it turned into another pile of bones.

"Damn Zaraki." She snarled, storming back into her room. "And damn his fucked up inner world."


	2. Taicho

She had waited all day, and still couldn't reach the stupid wielder. Sighing, the woman stood.

She knew what he was doing every second of the day, and some of it she didn't want to know. How he could not sense her presence, she didn't understand.

Yachiru was always with him, and often the woman would wander to the edge of the Captain's world and watch Yachiru's.

She was envious.

Currently, Zaraki was with his third seat, fifth seat and lieutenant. The woman had tried brushing the mind of the girl's, but it hadn't worked.

She had yet to try it with anyone else though...

Snaking out a tendril of thought, she skimmed the mind of the fifth seat officer.

The woman recoiled.

"No, not him. It's his room whose is the personal shrine." She shuddered. Reaching again with a thought-tendril, she poked at the third seat's mind.

**/**

Ikkaku stiffened.

_'Who the fuck are you?_' He snarled in his mind. The presence radiated relief.

'_Thank goodness._' It sighed. '_I've finally contacted someone._'

'_Who. Are. You? And what the fuck do you want with me?_' Ikkaku growled.

'_Please Ikkaku Madarame, I need your help. My fucking wielder will NOT pay attention to me. He cannot sense my presence either._'

'_You're a Zanpakuto spirit.'_ Ikkaku stated in realization. _'Who's your wielder?'_

'_Your Taicho, Zaraki Kenpachi._' Ikkaku's eyes went immediately to the sword leaning against the wall behind the large captain.

'_Zaraki? I doubt you'll be contacted any time soon._' Ikkaku snorted.

'_Tire him, Madarame. I don't care how. Just do it._' The presence disappeared with a slight pain in his head.

"Zaraki-taicho, I wonder if you can defeat all of your seated officers at the same time?"

The captain looked up and leered. "Watcha talkin' bought?"

Ikkaku repeated himself.

"We're gonna find out." The man grabbed his battered sword and lumbered from the room.

"Ikkaku, what are you doing?" Yumichika looked at the bald man like he was insane.

"Helping a zanpakuto."

"A zanpakuto?" Yumichika didn't believe him.

"Hai. Taicho's zanpakuto. It contacted me a few minutes ago." Ikkaku shrugged. "Wants me to tire out Zaraki."

"So, you're gonna drag all the seated officers into this?" Yumichika sighed, picking up his sword. The two followed the taicho and the fukutaicho out the door.

**/**

The woman smiled, grinning a the skull in her hand.

"That went well."

She placed the bone down beside her and braced herself.

As the zanpakuto spirit of Kenpachi, she was bound to gather several more nicks and scratches.


	3. Flinch

Zaraki had nearly beaten all the officers, but Yachiru was smart and knew him too wall.

Yawning loudly, he fell backwards onto his futon and passed out.

**/**

The woman felt the moment Zaraki lost consciousness and fell into slumber.

Grinning widely, she thrust herself into his mind, and drew him into the inner world.

It surprised her when it worked, and she smiled.

The captain stood stood dazed in the corpse strewn clearing, gazing around

The woman lifted the skull and peered into the depths of it's empty black sockets.

"I've been extremely pissed with you, Kenpachi Zaraki." She lifted her eyes from the skull as she spoke.

The six foot man turned to her, and looked as though he had only just noticed the female.

"How do you know me?" He frowned. The let out a short laugh.

"Because I'm the zanpakuto you should be using to the full potential."

"So where am I?" Zaraki sat down.

"In your inner world. Seriously, cleanup the damn corpses. Enough with the zombies." She kicked a corpse to emphasize her point. He flinched. "And for fucks sake, take better care of me!"

She crossed the distance between them and punched him in the face.

Zaraki fell over and looked up at the livid woman, examining her for the first time.

The woman had long pitch black hair, and very pale skin. Her eyes were sharp blue and very cold, but framed with extremely long black eyelashes.

Her blood red lips were parted in a terrifying snarl.

Her body was thin, but she was well endowed with a bosom that would rival Matsumoto's.

Her clothing was simple; a pair of black hakama, a sleeveless red haori over a simple backless and sleeveless black shirt.

Around her upper arms were bright white bandages, and on her feet she had no shoes. Several chains were wrapped around her waist, wrists, ankles and neck, clanking against each other every time she moved.

But she looked rough and barbaric.

Bright red cuts crossed over her body and the clothing was slashed and torn all over. Across her cheek was a deep cut, oozing blood down her pale skin. Several scarring scabs covered her arms.

Zaraki suddenly felt an emotion that was unfamiliar.

Ashamed.


	4. Smile

The woman could tell she had gotten though to him when he looked away with eyes filled with guilt.

She gave the man on the floor a shit-eating smile.

"So, here's what you're gonna do," She sat back on her rock, running her fingers over the skull. "You are going to go to the nearest armoury, and you're going to get me repaired no matter what the cost. You are going to start cleaning me after battles. Take Ikkaku with you."

Zaraki lifted his head.

"Why Ikkaku?" He asked.

"Because if i can't contact you, I know I can contact him."

The large man dropped his head to the ground again.

The corpse-strewn field shimmered before disappearing. The woman smiled, happy they had been replaced with grass and a river, although the river had large patches of blood in it.

"Much better." She sighed, breathing in the fresh air. "Heck, this is great. I haven't breathed this much fresh air since you were born."

Zaraki snorted, rising to his feet.

"What's your name, onna?" He gazed at her.

"Fuck no, I ain't telling you till I'm fixed!" She laughed, the sound cruel. "I'll only tell you then."

Zaraki faded away, and she felt him wake up.

The sword would be fixed.


	5. Liquid

"Zaraki?" the taicho at the counter seemed surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"What's it look like, Soi-Fong?" He grumbled. "I'm fixing this damned zanpakuto."

The Second Division taicho frowned.

"Here, Sui-Fong-taicho." The cashier handed her the package on the counter. She frowned at the Eleventh Division Taicho as she left.

"Zaraki-taicho, what can I do for you?" The man asked.

"Fix it." He tossed the sheathed sword on the counter. The man unsheathed the sword and cringed.

"This will take at least a week. Maybe more." He informed.

"Just fix it as fast as possible." Zaraki's scowl deepened as he glared at the sword. The man nodded, and sighed as the imposing captain left.

/

The woman grinned, stretching out in the liquid filling her inner world.

Warm and soothing, it healed her scars, cuts and bruises.

The woman was happy. She floated on her back past a school of brightly coloured fish, and bumped into something.

She turned.

"Who are you?" She lifted an arched eyebrow.

"I should be asking you the same thing. I am the sword-smith's zanpakuto spirit. I help to heal others zanpakuto spirits." He bowed to her.

"Ha! So the fucking Taicho listened to me." She smirked. "Great, I get fixed."

"You're in pretty bad shape. I may take a while."

"No SHIT, Sherlock."

She shook her head.


	6. Thanks

The woman grinned happily, examining herself in the mirror of the fifth seat. She knew when he was in his room; the candles would be lit and right now they weren't.

Her rips, cuts, bruises, slashes, scars and ragged appearance had disappeared, leaving behind the woman's true appearance.

The long black hair was pulled into a high tail, and secured with a band of bells. The scar on her cheek was gone, leaving behind smooth skin.

Her lips stayed blood red, and her eyes stayed sharp blue, although they became colder, if possible. Her clothing was once again whole; the black hakama of silk, the blood red haori like the taicho wore, and the backless and sleeveless shirt. The bandages on her upper arms stayed, as well as the chains, although the rust and debris on them dropped off and they turned back into their original colour of gold.

"Well done." She traced the edge of the mirror, and strode out of the room to the third seat's. She could feel his faint presence there, and reach out to brush his mind.

"It's you again." His voice drifted around the room. "What do you want?"

"Only to thank you. And make sure that my fucked up wielder bought cleaning supplies."

"He did. I was there."

The female sent him a mental pat on the head, and smirked when he scowled.

"Thank you, Ikkaku Madarame. I expect to contact you in the future, so farewell for now."

Ikkaku grunted and the woman smiled, retreating to the captain's room where she took to resting.


	7. Flowers

Zaraki had been on edge, waiting for the zanpakuto spirit to contact him again.

It had been a full week after he had gotten the sword back, repaired and looking like new.

_What had he forgotten?_

He had repaired her. He had bought cleaning rags.

_What was it?_

Kenpachi grumbled, and lay on his back trying to remember her third condition.

_Corpses...and zombies?_

""Right, the spirit wanted me to remodel the inner world." He let out a grin, shutting his eyes.

The image of the inner world exploded in his mind, and Zaraki set work building it from scratch. The field returned, with the flat rock in the center. Behind the rock a tree burst into existence, covered in blood red flowers. Bells on gold chains dangled from the branches.

The forest came back, and Zaraki let the rain pour over the lush trees.

She said she hadn't minded this part.

Beyond that were the barracks, and Zaraki left those alone. However, surrounding the barracks he put a moat of steaming blood. A bridge automatically appeared over it; wrought iron and strong wood.

Small piles of bones littered the meadow the barracks sat in, and Kenpachi left those.

He yawned

/

The woman smiled, he had completed her third condition. She pulled him into the inner world, laughing at his moment of disorientation.

"Kenpachi Zaraki, you have done everything I asked. Bravo." She clapped her hands in a taunting manner.

"So you gonna tell me your name?" He huffed, dropping into a seated position on the ground.

"Ha! I suppose I promised, didn't I?" She rolled her eyes, sliding off the rock.

Bells and chains jingled as she did.

"Kenpachi Zaraki, Taicho of the Eleventh Division, I am Akuma no Batsu; Demon of Punishment." She bowed. "You now know my name, and you may activate my shikai. Remember my name... I ain't telling you again!" She warned, throwing a rock at his head. He ducked, and gave a feral grin.

"Good luck, Kenpachi. I expect to be used."


	8. Seal

Ikkaku gaped at the captain.

"Say that again!"

"I want you to find Ichigo Kurosaki and Kisuke Urahara. I need their help." The captain looked away, hiding his embarrassment.

"Ok." Ikkaku sighed. "What ever you say, Zaraki" The bald man stood, rushing out the door to the portal of the World of the Living.

It didn't take him long to find Kisuke. He was in the small shop he owned.

"Ikkaku-san!" The man smiled cheerfully. "What can I do for you?"

"Not me. My taicho." Ikkaku shook his head. Urahara's eyes widened and he turned serious.

"I can't go back to the Seireitei." The shopkeeper looked sad. "So, Zaraki will have to come here."

Ikkaku nodded.

"I'm going to use your back room." He told the blond man.

/

Zaraki lifted his hand to the black and purple butterfly, allowing it to light upon his hand.

'Yo, it's me. Kisuke can't comeback to the Seireitei, so you'll have to come here. Go see old man Yamamoto for a limit release seal.'

Zaraki frowned, but stood and began a jog to the old man's barracks.

"Ken-chan! Where are you going!" Yachiru sprang onto her shoulder.

"Old man Yamamoto. I'm going to the World of the Living." He answered.

"Can I come?"

"Yachiru, I need you to watch the Eleventh Division while I'm gone. Ikkaku will help." He stopped and patted her head after placing her on the ground.

"Alright, Ken-chan." She looked sad, but brightened moments later. "Come back soon!"

He nodded, running again.

'Where are we going, Ken-chan?' Akuma teased.

'The World of the Living.' He replied briefly, sliding open the door to the First Division Barracks.

"Where's the Sui-taicho?" He demanded to the shinigami by the door.

"In his usual place, Zaraki-taicho."

The giant man nodded, striding past and into the study of the old man.

"Kenpachi." The old man grumbled. "What do you need?"

"Limit release seal." He crossed his arms and gazed down at the man.

"Why are you planning on going to the World of the Living?"

"Damned zanpakuto told me to." he gestured the zanpakuto on his hip.

"Come here then." The Head Captain sighed, lifting a hand and placing it on Zaraki's chest. A flower appeared, before quickly fading. Zaraki immediately felt his reitsu being locked up.

"You're free to go."


	9. Baka

Kisuke looked up at the Captain as he opened the door.

"Zaraki! You certainly came quickly!" The former Shinigami smiled. "I sent Ikkaku back a few minutes ago."

"Yeah. I passed him on the way here." The large man nodded.

"So, what can I do for you?" The shopkeeper smiled.

Zaraki tossed the sword before him.

"The fucking spirit won't shut up about training." He grumbled.

"So you've finally managed to contact him." Urahara's face took on a thoughtful look.

"_She_ is annoying."

"Oi! I _heard _that you baka!" A feminine voice exploded from the zanpakuto.

"Shut up, Akuma." Zaraki glared. Urahara chuckled at their banter.

"You are Urahara, Kisuke?" The sword spirit asked.

"I am." Kisuke nodded.

"Good. I need you to let my baka of a wielder to use your underground training area. Also give him a lesson on Jinzen." The sword quieted, expecting her orders to be carried out.

"Does anybody other than you and me know you've contacted your zanpakuto spirit?"

"Just Ikkaku." He paused. "Maybe Yumichika."

Zaraki shrugged.


	10. Improve

Akuma smiled wickedly, twirling the sword in her hand.

"Zaraki, you suck." She snorted, amused at the so-called 'powerful' Taicho.

He lunged and the two fell into battle once more. The Captain won this round, making the woman smile.

"You're improving."

"I don't improve; I lose or I win." He corrected.

Akuma punched him in the face.

"Everybody improves, even you, Baka!" She aimed a kick at him, which he took to the head.

"And until you beat me three times, I'm not letting you use shikai!" Zaraki climbed to his feet and leered down at his zanpakuto spirit.

"Hurry up then, so I can beat you!"

"Much better!" Akuma laughed, flying towards him.

A spray of sparks scattered over the lush green grass.


	11. Crush

"Oh, you're defiantly improving. That's twice in a row you've beaten me." Akuma, Laughed, the sound sharp and cruel. She moved the long bangs in her face behind her pointed ears.

"Let's get going ten." Zaraki brushed a hand over his rump as he stood, taking off the dirt and grass.

"You won't eat me a third time!" Akuma yelled, lunging.

That was how she found herself flat on her back at sword point.

"Ok, I lied." She shrugged, smiling fondly at the taicho. "You win."

"Shikai, woman." He prodded her arm with his toe. Akuma swept his feet from under him.

"Zaraki, patience." She scolded, using an Unohana smile. "You need a release command."

"Yeah. Now tell me, you idiotic onna." He crossed his arms and glared.

Akuma stomped on her wielder's face, and then knelt to tell him.

"I am Akuma no Batsu, Demon of Punishment. I will crush you. Kurasshu, Akuma no Batsu!" She leered at him as he faded back into the Realm of the Living.


	12. Dog

"Kurasshu, Akuma no Batsu!" Zaraki swung the sword in his hands.

_'No!' _Akuma sneered. _'I've fought with you all day, I ain't doing it!'_

"Bitchy onna." He growled, glaring daggers.

_'Hmph.' _

"I'm your wielder, you should work!" He threw his sword across the room.

"I am not a dog, Zaraki Kenpachi." Akuma's form shimmered around the sword. "I am your life companion. Treat me as you would treat a dear friend."

Zaraki glared as she disappeared.

"Fine." He muttered, lifting the sword from it's position embedded in the ground.

_'I'll work the shikai tomorrow. Rest mister. You're dead on your feet.'_


	13. Twitch

Akuma was very happy with Kenpachi's progress.

He was well on his way into master shikai, but what else would you expect from the Captain of Division Eleven?

After all, it was the Division that excelled in offensive fighting. The members of the Division lived for fighting, it was as natural to them as eating three meals a day.

_'But,'_ Akuma sighed, watching Zaraki go through the process of fighting Ichigo, again. _'Maybe that's a good thing for someone like me. I am an offensive creature, I take things to a point, and I don't have a huge sense of humor. Fighting is what I exist for.'_

"Yo, Kenpachi." Ichigo stopped to wipe some sweat from his eye. "When am I gonna see this Zanpakuto of yours?"

"When I decide to show you." Kenpachi growled. "Now lift your sword, Kurosaki, and fight!"

The two men charged at each other, and Akuma turned her attention to the blond man standing out of harms way by a chalkboard.

Kisuke was drawing, and she grinned as he moved away from it, as through the could sense her watching.

_'As to expected from the former Captain of the Twelfth Division.' _

"Getsuga Tensho!" Ichigo yelled. Akuma shivered as power danced over her body.

The zanpakuto had the sudden fleeting image of two men; one middle-aged with brown hair, the other a duplicate of Ichigo himself, but completely white.

'_Ichigo is..interesting. I'd like to know his zanpakuto.'_

The female spirit, who was currently floating around like a disembodied ghost, returned herself to the sword and found herself staring with interest at Ichigo's Zangetsu and his double.

The white one looked as though he jumped out of his skin, and the middle-aged man nodded in respect.

"Good morning," Akuma nodded back. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Zangetsu."

"Who's she, old man?" The other one asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"She is a zanpakuto." The man turned his brown eyes to the teen. "Can you not tell by the inner world behind her, Shirosaki?"

Shirosaki pattered a few feet to the left, peering around the woman.

"I haven't seen that inner world before, Zanny. Who are we fighting again?"

"You forgetful Hollow." Zangetsu shook his head, and stepped off the pole he was standing on. "Kenpachi Zaraki is our opponent."

"Kenpachi...? Oh! The Eleventh Division Captain! That Kenpachi?" Shirosaki went wide-eyed. "Last time we fought him-"

"Ken-chan has been unable to communicate with me until now, due to the drastic measures I took." Akuma interrupted. "That is why Ichigo is fighting him; you are helping to train him further."

"I never expected for his zanpakuto to be so smart," Shirosaki whispered loudly to Zangetsu.

Akuma's eye twitched.

"Let alone be a girl." The Hollow continued.

Her eye twitched again.

"And I bet that she won't be any help at all."

Gold reitsu flared around Akuma as she roared. Suddenly she was in Shirosaki's face, cold steel against his throat.

"I dare you to say that to my face, asshole."

Surprised, Shirosaki tumbled backward and Akuma leapt again, pressing him to the side of the side of the skyscraper with her foot and levelling the blade in her hand to his chest. Blue blood oozed from the point where the sword and his skin met.

"Zanny?" Shirosaki's voice wobbled. "I could use some help."

"You brought this on yourself, Hichigo." The man shook his head, amused. "It won't be my problem when you die. It'll be nice to finally have quiet around here."

"You say that like I'm going to die!" Hichigo yelled, glaring.

"It's likely." Zangetsu nodded, retreating to his pole.

"Get off me, onna!" Shirosaki pushed at Akuma's blade.

She gave him a shit-eating, pants-wetting, grin.


	14. Gold

"I like you." Akuma stared up at Zangetsu, after she had gotten bored of hurting Hichigo. "You're entertaining."

"Thank you." He nodded, gazing upwards as she retreated to her rock in Kenpachi's mind-scape.

Hichigo glared, blue staining several spots of his mostly white clothes. She sneered at him as she passed.

**-;-**

Kenpachi woke fairly early the next day due to the sudden appearance of Yumichika and Ikkaku.

"What do you guys want?" He grumbled, leaning back against the wall.

"Sui-Taicho says you have a deadline of a month to be here." Ikkaku grunted.

"A month." Kenpachi stood and lumbered over to the hidden door. "Well, I'd better start working."

He paused.

"Who's watchin' Yachiru?" He asked, jumping down.

Ikkaku and Yumichika rushed through the still open Senkaimon.

**-;-**

"Oi! Onna!" Kenpachi rapped the sword against the ground. "Wake up."

'You don't need to hit me, Ken-chan.' Akuma growled. 'What do you want?'

"We've got a month." He growled back.

'Well then, see if you can activate shikai.' She demanded.

Kenpachi tilted the sword toward the ground.

"Kurasshu, Akuma no batsu."

A bolt of fire shot from the ground, spreading up the weapon and dropping away.

In it's place was an extremely long, gold-coloured, nodachi; only it was twice as big. The pommel was a skull with cold glittering rubies for eyes.

A tick black line ran down the center of the blade, and the first few inches of the hilt and sword were wrapped in golden chains.

Sprouting from the skull's leering mouth were smaller gold chains with bells on the end.

Kenpachi stared at it a while.

"I did it." He realized.


	15. Bankai

For a total of three weeks, Kenpachi trained with Kisuke, Ichigo and Akuma.

Near the end of the forth week, Kenpachi stopped fighting Ichigo.

The orange haired boy looked confused.

"Oi! Urahara!" Zaraki yelled, making the doodling man turn.

"Yeah?"

"You have a faster way to achieve bankai?"

Ichigo and Sandal-Hat exchanged a look.

"Well, yes..." He trailed off. "But if you don't beat your zanpakuto in three days, you die."

"Bring it on!" Kenpachi grinned, cracking his neck.

Kisuke left and then returned with a human shaped doll the same size as him.

"To activate this technique, you stab the mannequin in the middle-"

"I don't care about the technique, old man!" Zaraki impaled the doll.

The room flashed with golden light, and Akuma cracked her knuckles.

"Hello, Ken-chan." She grinned, glancing around as every possible surface gain a weapon of some kind. "Are we going to play '_Find the Bankai_'?"

She lunged for a sword and then pounced.

Zaraki grabbed a European looking sword.

"You know," Ichigo turned to Urahara. "Suddenly, I don't feel safe down here. It's like having two of Kenpachi."

"Let's go upstairs. Knowing Kenpachi, he's not gonna stop until he finds it."

A roar sounded behind the two Shinigami, and Ichigo ducked as the Eleventh Division Captains went flying over his head.

"Is that really all you've got, Ken-chan?" Akuma laughed.

Ichigo and Kisuke fled the vicinity.


	16. Blue

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Ichigo stared at Zaraki, who was laying on the ground.

His zanpakuto was crouch on a rock several feet away, sneering at her wielder.

"He's giving up." Akuma stood, casting a dark look at the brown-haired man. "He's a coward and a weakling."

She flew down from her perch and shook her head.

"Fucking bastard." She muttered, striding past the man on the ground.

He grabbed her ankle. Akuma turned her icy blue eyes downward.

"I'm not finished with you." He growled, climbing to his feet.

Akuma smiled, fangs glittering against her blood-red lips.

Ichigo ran away, bounding up the ladder and slamming the hatch shut as a barrage of gold reitsu sprang outward.

"It's terrifying down there." He heaved against the wall.

Urahara merely fluttered his fan over his face with a sly grin.

**-;-**

When Zaraki emerged from the underground training arena on the third day, he looked exhausted.

His zanpakuto was back in it's sealed state, and his hair was a mess. The taicho shuffled from the room and returned several minutes later, his hair back in it's usual style.

"You-" Ichigo stared.

"I'm going back, Urahara." Kenpachi nodded to the man, jumping down the trapdoor.

"Bye now~!" The blond man waved, totally at ease.


	17. Hear

"Ken-chan! Ken-chan!" Yachiru clambered up his back, peering over his shoulder. "Welcome back!"

"Hello Yachiru." He patted her head. Yachiru laughed and the two entered the Eleventh Division.

A butterfly immediately landed on Kenpachi's forehead.

_'Yamamoto-Sui-Taicho requests an audience with one Zaraki, Kenpachi.' _

Zaraki scratched his head.

"Fuck." He grumbled, turning on his heel.

**-;-**

"Your trip to the World of the Living went well, I hope." Yamamoto murmured, leaning forward.

_'Hear-'_

Yamamoto continued talking and Akuma ignored the old man.

"Hear my-" The mysterious voice called again.

Billowing grey fog rose from the rainy forest, gliding forward. A figure rose in the fog.

"Hear my voice." The man spoke again.

Akuma froze, eyes widening.

"Hear my voice." He said yet again.

"I hear you." Akuma rose from her rock, the skull in her hand clattering to the ground.

"Come to me." The man spread open an arm.

Akuma began moving forward, picking up her pace until she was running.

Her vision exploded with light, and she blinked, raising an arm to block it.

"Welcome. My name is Muramasa." The man greeted, bowing slightly.

"I'm Akuma no Batsu." The raven-haired woman greeted back, crossing her arms over her large breast.

"Follow me.." Muramasa began moving forward, entering a cave not far off. "Come along, Nameless One."

Akuma glanced to her right, eyes narrowing at the quiet male beside her.

His long turquoise haired draped over armour and a purple kimono. His feet were ice and shaped dragon-like.

Akuma strode after them.


	18. Prissy

"Welcome back." Akuma's eyes drew in the image of a young girl, dressed in a kimono and holding two enormous bells on the end of a dark pink ribbon.

A woman with dark red hair, wearing pink scuttled forward and she took in the new male's form.

A tiny female in yellow and black zipped closer.

"He's so handsome." The yellow and black female whispered, not so quietly.

The two men continued down the stairs and Akuma stepped in after them.

The males watching froze and the bickering females were silenced by Muramasa.

"These are your new companions. Treat them well." Muramasa disappeared deeper into the cave.

A beautiful woman in white stepped from the shadows, sizing up the new woman.

"What're you looking at?" Akuma crossed her arms under her bust and narrowed her eyes into glittering slivers.

All zanpakuto in the room went silent.

"I was observing you." The woman answered, tilting her head up a fraction. "Who are you?"

"None of your business." Akuma snapped, whirling on her heel. The blood-red haori she wore fanned around her legs.

The frowned, lifting her hand and blowing ice and snow towards the newcomer.

Akuma spun again, lifting her hand in front of her. The appendage glowed gold and the ice blasted around the more powerful reitsu.

The white woman stared in shock.

"So then," Akuma gave a shit-eating grin, fangs deadly against the light. "What's your name? I should know the name of my attacker."

"I am Sode no Shirayuki." The woman sneered, managing to look beautiful.

"Akuma no Batsu." The raven greeted, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"Hmph." Sode no Shirayuki turned away.

"Don't be like that, prissy pants." Akuma appeared in front of the white-clothed woman.

"I am neither prissy, nor wearing pants." She glared. "Leave me alone."

"Aren't you going to finish what you started?" Akuma asked. "Cause if you won't,"

The blue-eyed woman pulled an enormous gold nodachi from the ground in a wash of blue fire.

"I will." Akuma swung, forcing Sode no Shirayuki to leap away. The other zanpakuto drew her own sword.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren."

Only... Akuma was there two seconds later, interrupting the attack.


	19. Sparkly

"Come now." A man with feather wings on his arms scolded. "Fighting like this isn't beautiful."

"I don't fight to look _pretty._" Akuma turned on him, gazing down her nose with icy blue eyes. "I fight to win. I fight to kill. And I fight because I enjoy it. _A lot._"

Another male lounging on the floor glanced over his shoulder.

"Would you all _shut up_!? I'm trying to sleep." He growled. Orange haired spiked around his face.

"You two..." Akuma paused. "I know you."

"How could you know-" The two men shared looks. "Ah, crap."

A bundle of pink smashed into Akuma's back, and the two men voiced their curse again.

"Ah, crap."

"Onna!" The male on her back yelled, burrowing his face into the crook of her neck.

"Get. Off." She growled.

"Hai!" He lowered to the ground.

Akuma turned and stared in distaste.

"It's you." She frowned.

"Hai!" The male nodded, brown hair splashing into his eyes.

The boy was tall, gangly with ear-length brown hair and wide grey eyes.

He was dressed in a bright pink pair of hakama and a matching pink kosode. His hair was tied in a top-knot with a shiny pink bow, and his boots were pink and sparkly.

"Please don't be who I think you are." Akuma deadpanned.

"Hai!" The boy saluted. "I'm Rotasukonran~!" He danced in a circle around her.

"Go bug someone else." Akuma glared, sticking out her foot and sending him sprawling to the floor.

"But-"

"Just because our former wielders thought of each other in a parent-child bond, _definitely _does **not** mean I will. So, go away." She turned on her heel and marched to the table, taking an unoccupied chair and lifting her feet up into the face of the fat man across from her.

He contentedly munch on chips.


	20. Chair

"So, who was your wielder?" The fat man asked.

"I'm not tellin' until all of you are introduced." Akuma snorted.

A black hand edged in an aura of red dropped onto the table beside her.

"You're in my chair." The man owning the hand growled.

"That's nice."

"You should move." The man tried again. Akuma hooked one of legs onto the chair the fat man was seated on and pushed with her gold reitsu.

"Oi, Fatso." Akuma saluted mockingly. "Thanks for the chair."

Said fat man grumbled, crawling to a spot against the rock wall.

"That's your seat." She pointed. The hand moved out of her vision, and it's owner propped his feet onto the table seconds later.

The two stared at each other.

Akuma saw a man with wind-swept back hair, toned muscles and devilish eyes. He was entirely black, and every feature was chiseled out in red. His were covered in boots and loose black bandages wrapped up his legs and waist.

The man saw a woman with defined cheekbones, icy blue yes, a huge amount of power and black hair. Pale skin, ruby lips, pointed ears and fangs. Gold chains, red haori and black hakama.

"I like you already." The male nodded. "The name's Kazeshini."

"Akuma no Batsu." The woman greeted, smiling. "Call me Akuma."


	21. Cheer

"It's time." Muramasa walked slowly out into the cave.

The zanpakuto let out a large celebratory cheer, and everyone surged to their feet.

"Where are we going?" Akuma asked, following Kazeshini out of the cave.

"The Seireitei." He replied with a grin.

"Muramasa-sama has not explained to you the plan, has he?" A man in a samurai's regalia asked, a snarling mask over his face.

"No. You are?" Akuma raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Senbonzakura." The male nodded to her. "We are to give a small demonstration of power to the Shinigami."

"Oh. Fun~!" She laughed, cracking her neck.

"Senbonzakura-sama," Sode no Shirayuki glided forward. "You need not waste time with such filth."

"Who me?" Akuma feigned innocence. "Have you looked in a mirror lately, Prissy Pants?"

"I have told you once before; I am neither prissy, nor wearing pants." The white-haired woman frowned.

"Sure, sure." Akuma waved it off. "So, what's everyone's name?"

"You know myself, Sode no Shirayuki, Rotasukonran, Nameless One, Muramasa-sama, and Kazeshini." Senbonzakura nodded to the mentioned zanpakuto. "The one with the slab of rock on his back is Wabisuke."

Akuma glanced over at the greasy man, and he gazed back with sad eyes. In his left hand he held a large ball on a chain, which was propped on his shoulder.

"The little yellow one is Suzumebachi. The neko-onna is Haineko, and the small girl in holding the bells is Tobiume."

Akuma glanced at the three bickering girls.

"The two chained together, the snake and the monkey, they are Zabimaru."

"The fat one is Gegetsuburi, and the thin one with the stick is Gonryomaru." Kazeshini pointed.

"That is Hozukimaru." Senbonzakura pointed a the large oni-like man with dark brown skin and long messy orange hair.

"And that is Ruri-iro Kujaku." Senbonzakura motioned to the harpy-man, with blue-green wings on his forearms and hands. His head was wrapped in bandages, and two long strands of his blue hair framed his face. On the back of his head were orange feathers, and his legs were covered in green feathers.


	22. Flame

"Oi, onna." Kazeshini prodded Akuma's arm. "Come with me."

"Hn?" She shunpoed after him. "What are we doing?"

"We're gonna give a demonstration of our power!" The male laughed.

"Oh, goody~!" Akuma sneered.

They landed lightly on a roof top, caring the shit out of the shinigami below.

Tobiume appeared farther down the street.

Kazeshini let out a loud laugh, his kusari-gama flashing into his hands.

Akuma pulled her nodachi from the roof in a bundle of flame and twirled it in her hand.

One of Kazeshini's scythes spun forward, slicing a man through the chest. He pulled it back and blood coated his hands.

Akuma landed lightly on the ground.

"Miss," One of the shinigami yelled. "You shouldn't be here! It's dangerous!"

He stepped forward and Akuma snapped her eyes up. Her normally ice blue eyes were flickering with the fires Tobiume had ignited.

She disappeaed suddenly and the man slumped to his knees, head rolling not even seconds later.

Akuma ran her tongue along the gold metal, coating her fangs.

Kazeshini joined her in manically laughing.

The two destroyed several buildings in clean sweeps, splattering blood every which way and sending corpses flying.

Sode no Shirayuki appeared atop one of the buildings. Both she and her new friend scowled, but followed the rest of the zanpakuto to the Sokyoku Hill.


	23. Lazy

Akuma leered down at the gathered Shinigami, standing slightly forward of Hozukimaru and Ruri-iro Kujaku. Rotasukonran was staying back at the cave.

"The reign of the Shinigami will end this night, and in it's place will rise the Zanpakuto." Muramasa gestured to the gathered spirits.

Akuma grew bored, and then Kazeshini caught her eye. They grinned, launching themselves into the fray with nearly identical laughs.

Akuma landed amongst a large group, who all turned on her.

"Surrender." The male with blond hair demanded.

"I don't think you're in a position to say things like that." Akuma shook her head. "And I wouldn't because I'm having too much fun!"

A redhead rushed forward and Akuma threw him back with one arm. The rest lunged forward.

Gold reitsu seeped from Akuma, crackling around her feet like fire.

All glanced over when she let out a laugh which was famous for her wielder, throwing her head back. Her group all fell, defeated.

Akuma lazily sauntered back to her spot.


	24. Balloons

"So, we're just gonna sit here. Doing nothing." Akuma scowled, feet propped up on the table again.

"That is what Muramasa-sama has told us to do." Tobiume snarled.

"Ugh! I don't wanna sit around doing nothing!" She growled, flames erupting in her eyes.

"You're not a real woman if you wanna fight all the time!" Haineko scoffed, crossing her arms under her ample chest.

Akuma stood, rigid and lifted her hands to her kosode.

"What are these then?" She opened her shirt and smirked. "Useless balloons?"

Haineko spluttered, then backed away blushing.

"I thought so. Don't compare me to you. I'm not some fashion obsessed, girly-girl like you. And I don't want to be." Akuma fixed her front, and then sat again.

Kazeshini blinked at her.

"What? Liked something you saw?"

"Yeah. Your attitude." He laughed, taking one of the fat man's chips. "These are gross. How do you eat these?"

Gegetsuburi opened his mouth.

"We don't actually want to know. So shut up."


	25. Exploring

Akuma knew she shouldn't...

But she decided to go exploring. Unfortunately for her, the poor zanpakuto was caught by the worst thing possible...Rotasukonran.

The pink monstrosity -as Akuma dubbed him- followed her around and didn't shut up.

Of course, it was pouring rain.

And of course, considering her wielder, Akuma got lost.

_With Rotasukonran._

So she stood, haori, hair, and sleeveless kosode soaked through and her ears probably bleeding from the amount of talking the pink-strosity was doing.

"Shut the fuck up, brat. Just shut up!" She snarled, choosing a random direction to start walking.

Rotasukonran's mouth snapped shut.

"Zanpakuto!" The shout went out as Akuma breached the edge of the Seireitei.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Akuma darted away, grabbing Rotasukonran's arm.


	26. Crystal

"You look a little wet, Akuma." Muramasa's eyes narrowed as he stared at the two zanpakuto.

"Well, that's because it's raining."

"I gave you one simple rule to follow and you disobeyed it." The leader of the rebellion growled, purple reitsu crackling around him. "This will not go unpunished."

"Nothing you can do," Akuma leaned forward, shoving her face close to Muramasa. "Can make me listen to you. I'm tired of listening, I'm tired of being ignored, and I sure as fuck ain't doing what you say."

Gold and purple raged against each other, and Akuma was sent flying across the room into the rock wall, where she slid until she caught her footing. The other zanpakuto flinched. Akuma snarled, and fire erupted in her eyes.

She roared, and fire spewed from her body, solidifying into chains. The gold chains spiraled outwards and they headed for Muramasa, who merely stepped aside.

"Enough."

Akuma was thrown against the wall again, and her limp body slid down to the crystal water below. Dark crimson trickled into the blue depths as she floated, knocked unconcious. Her icy blue eyes were wide open and blank.

Muramasa sneered, vanishing into his portion of the cavern, where the three oldest zanpakuto sat.

"Akuma is unstable." Senbonzakura announced, leaping over to her side.


End file.
